Carolyn Perkins, Choir Director at Desert Cross Lutheran Church in Gilbert, AZ, has been accepted into the 2025 apprenticeship program of Hearts, Hands and Voices, a nationally recognized summer music ministry for children. This August, she will serve as a music assistant at the camp held at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Livonia, Michigan.
Founded in 2008 by Dr. Michael Burkhardt—renowned composer and leader in church music through Choristers Guild, MSM, and Augsburg—the program is a partnership with the Southeast Michigan Synod of the ELCA. What began with just 47 children has grown into a vibrant and spiritually rich summer program that now welcomes nearly 500 participants annually. The camp combines musical excellence, worship, and community-building in a safe, faith-centered environment for children and youth.
“I am so grateful for this amazing opportunity and I am looking forward to bringing this experience to Desert Cross for not only our children but those in our communities, says Perkins. “Music and the arts provide key vehicles for the heart and the whole person to respond to God and His Goodness! I would like to see Desert Cross share this with young persons in our midst.”
Perkins’ participation not only reflects the ongoing commitment of Grand Canyon Synod leaders to nurture youth through faith and the arts, but also promises future growth in music ministry within our own synod. We celebrate her journey and look forward to what she’ll bring home.
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